Drain fixture for refrigerators



Aug. l0, 193 7.

f M. J. UL. INE

l DRAIN FIXTURE FOR REFRIGERATORS Filed Jan. 20, 1956 Patented Aug. 10,1937 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcl:

6 Claims.

This'i'nvention relates to certain new and useful improvements in drainfixtures for refrigerators z a.`nd more particularly to drain fixturesespecially adapted to vbe connected to the sewerage system wherebythewater of the melting ice will be con'- Veyed from the refrigerator tothe sewerage system to .overcome the diiculties of having to emptyreceptacles as now employed for collecting .the `water of the Vmeltingice.

Another object of my invention is to provide adrain fixture which can bereadily installed in anyof the .well known makes of refrigerators nowAin useemployinga top ice compartment whereby thediculty existing ofhaving to empty the ice drippings is overcome and a thoroughly sanitaryfixture is provided whichcan be readily installed or removed to enableit to be disconnected to thoroughly clean thesame.

Another object of my invention is to provide a drain fixture withadjustable means for supporting v4a trap inthe proper position inrespect to `the drain of the icecompartment whereby a liquid seal is.formed between the sewerage sys- .temandthe refrigerator. Astillfurther objectof my invention .is to pro.- v1gde .a` drain xturewhich is exceedingly simple andcheap in construction and yone which canvbe installedin arefrigerator so as to form an outlet througheither Itheside or backrwall of the refrigeratQr. Otherand further objectsrandadvantages of .the invention will be hereinafter `setfforth and thenovel Lfeatures rthereof dei-ined` byl the appended claims.

frIn the drawing, Figure 1 is a `vertical section, partly in elevation,showing the installation of my improved construction of drain Yfixture;

.Figure 2 is a section taken Aon line 2-2 of Figure 1; '.Figure 3 is anenlarged Vertical section of a modication yshowing la slip joint betweenthe trapand elbow; and

Figure .4 is a detail section, partly in elevation, showing the nipplentapped into the outlet .of the sink. In'thedrawing I indicates arefrigerator and 2 the top ice compartment thereof which is providedywith the usual drain 3 extending into the cold Lcompartment. This drainis usually connectedto a conduit which Ais provided with atrap 'and'passes out through the bottom of therefrigerator Aand underwhich isarrangeda receptacle for' catching the drippngsoftheice. IThe abovedescriptionis given so that the joperationof'my improved ,constructionof xture when in use can `be clearly understood.

rIn carryingoutmy invention I employ ailihreadedpipe 4 .which extendsthrougha suitable openling formed in the wall of the refrigerator and Iilasinountedthereon nuts 5 and packing washers j in order to vforma tightjoint around the .Ongoing .formed .in Athe wall .0f the refrigerator andAto providemeans vfor adjusting the position ,of the ,pipein the wallrand locking Yit in its adjusted ,position- .After `the pipe has beenforced through the opening formed inthe refrigerator, the nuts arescrewed up s o asteproperly positionthe same and .lock yit lin thatposition.

The .pipe V4 at one end carries an elbow 1 which ris threadedonto thepipe and is provided with an internallytlrreaded portion toreceive thest em 8 of a .liquid .trap .9 which is provided with a dup shapedportionI 0 into which thel stand pipe II extends upwardly into the cup shapedportion I0 asdidient .distance t9 maintain @predetermined level `ofliquid .therein- YArranged over the stand pipeV is la cap I2 which vextends which is a continuationof the stem 8 and is providedl with cutaway portions I3 and this" forms a liquid sealvso as to prevent the odorfrom passing into the refrigerator. L

` The top ofthe cup shaped portion is open and is adapted to be sealedby a rubber 'washer I4 carried by the ldrain 3 and the upper edge is pref-i erably vformed slightly beveled to forni a seat for the rubberwasher whereby the washer will be resiliently held under tension againstthis seat in order to completely sealA the upper end of the cup of thetrapto prevent the odors from the liquid 'standing therein Vor from airpassing out ofthe refrigerator. i Y

The Aopposite end o f the pipe 4 carries an elbow I5 which is threadedonto; the end of the pipe and has a nippleportion I6 over which isadapted Atobe s lippedarubberhose I 'I ltoform a conduit for the water,the opposite end of said rubber hose Vbeing connected Vto ya A:nipple I8of a vtrap -I9 whichis provided with a nipple 20 extending into K anopening formed in the outlet v2| of the snk22- hich is provided withtheconventional liquid trap v23. A Y

Thel nipple 2 0 has a substantially semi-circular portion-24 which-isadaptedto embracethe outtionthereon by/flexible :bolts `25 extendingthrough ..50 let pipe-2l and is adapted to' be clamped inpos-Vapertured;earsand provided with nuts 21 for clamping Vthe saine, asuitable packing v28l being disposed around thevnipplefgtoxform awatertight joint as shown, and while I have shown exible bolts forclamping the same, it is, of course, un-

derstood that it can be clamped in various ways without departing fromthe spirit of my invention.

In the modification shown in Figure 3, the elbow 29 carried by the pipe4 is provided with a seat 30 to receive the unthreaded stem 3| of a trap32 in order to allow it to be lifted out of the l0 seat to clean thesame, the trap being of sufcient depth so thatA the distance between thetop of the cap and the end of the drain 3 is sufficient to allow thetrap to be raised vertically and twisted in order to remove the same. 15In the modification shown in'Figure 4, I show a nipple 33 tapped into athreaded opening formed in the outlet pipe 2| of the sink and the trapcarried thereby is dispensed with and a flexible hose I I is connectedto the nipple I3 and this provides a simple construction whereby anendless conduit can be formed from 'the trap 9 to the sewerage systemabove 'the liquid trap therein.

In installing a drain fixture constructed in accordance with myinvention into a refrigerator, a hole is first bored through the wall ofthe refrigerator and the pipe 4 is slipped through the opening and thenuts and washers placed thereon. The cup shaped trap is then insertedunder the drain 3 of the ice compartment and the elbow :3.0 brought intoalignment with the pipe 4 and the pipe is turned so as to screw the sameinto the elbow, and then by adjusting the position of the pipe, -thetrap can be properly positioned under the drain and by tightening thenuts on the pipe,

35 it will be locked in this position. The elbow I5 is then applied tothe outer end of the pipe and Vthe nipple, which is connected to thesewerage system, is connected to the nipple of the elbow by a rubberhose so as to complete a trap tight con- 40 duit between the seweragesystem and the drainage system of the refrigerator.

When it is desired to remove the trap 9 as shown in the preferredembodiment of my invention to clean the same, it is only necessary toun- 45 screw the'isame vfrom the elbow 'I and raise the lsame out of theelbow, the flexible washer allowing the trap to be raised and turned.

By removing the-hose I1 from the elbow I5, hot water can be poured downthe hose I'I to 50 flush the system.`

If desired,'the. clamping means for the nipple 20 can be released inorder to allow the same to be detached.

In the form shown in Figure 3, it is only necessary to lift the stem3I'in the trap out of the elbow in order to remove the same forcleaning.

In the form shownY in Figure 4, the trap is dispensed with and a verysimple construction of drain system is provided for a refrigerator.

60 While in the preferred embodiment of my invention I have shown ratrap disposed adjacent the outlet pipe of the sink, I wish it to beclearly understood that this trap can be dispensed with rand a nipplesubstituted therefor or that the 65 trap 9 can be dispensedwith and aconnection formed between the .elbow .'I and the outlet pipe 3 of theice box without departing from the spirit Y of my invention. Y ,v

v- From the foregoingdescription it will be seen 70 that I haveprovided: a 4drain fixture for a re- VVfrigerator comprising anadjustable member mounted within the wall `of a refrigerator to a1- lowit to -bealigned with the outlet of the ice compartment-of the ice boxand by `having a conduit 75 connected to the outlet ofthe drain above a.liquid trap, a suitable trap being disposed in the drain fixture eitherat the point of connection with the outlet of the sink or the outlet ofthe ice compartment or both whereby I am able to take care of thedrainage of the refrigerator so as to overcome the difficultiesexisting.

It will be apparent that the top ice compartment of a refrigerator iselevated a sufficient distance to allow a free flow by gravity of watermelting from the ice to the point of connection of the sewerage system.

What I claim is:

1. A drain fixture for refrigerators having a top ice compartment havinga drain leading therefrom comprising an externally threaded pipeextending through the wall of the refrigerator, members threaded on saidpipe at each end for adjustably securing said pipe in position thereinin respect to said drain, a liquid trap supported by said pipe anddisposed adjacent said ice compartment under the drain leadingtherefromand a flexible conduit leading from the other end of said pipe having aconnection with the sewerage system above the liquid trap disposedtherein.

2. A drain fixture for refrigerators having a. top ice compartmentprovided with a drain leading therefrom comprising an externallythreaded Vpipe extending through the wall of the refrigerator, membersthreaded on said pipe at each end for adjustably securing said pipe inposition therein in respect to said drain, an elbow carried by one endof said pipe, a liquid trap supported by said elbow and disposedadjacent said ice compartment under the drain leading therefrom, saidtrap having an open top to receive the drain, a exible washer carried bysaid drain pipe for sealing said trap, a flexible conduit leading fromthe other end of said pipe and a trap tapped into the sewerage systemhaving a nipple to which the free end of said conduit is connected. Y

3. A drain fixture for refrigerators having a top ice compartment havinga drain leading therefrom comprising an externally threaded pipeextending through the wall of the refrigerator, members provided on saidpipe at each end for adjustably securing said pipe in position thereinin respect to said drain, a liquid trap supported by said pipe anddisposed adjacent said ice compartment, a flexible conduit leading fromthe Vother end of said pipe, a nipple having a connection with saidconduit, said nipple being disposed within an opening formed in theoutlet of a sink and means for clamping said nipple `to said outlet.

4. A drain fixture for refrigerators having a top ice compartmentprovided with a drain leading therefrom comprising an externallythreaded pipe extending through the wall of the refrigerator, membersthreaded on said pipe at each end l connected to the sewerage systemhaving a nipple to which the free end of said conduit is connected andmeans for clamping said trap to the outlet of said sink.

5. A drain xture forrefrigerator's having a top ice compartmenthaving Vadrain leading'therefrom comprising a pipe extending through the Wall ofthe refrigerator, members movably mounted on said pipe for aldjustablysecuring said pipe in position therein in respect to said drain, aliquid trap adjustably supported by said pipe under said drain, aflexible conduit leading from the other end of sai-d pipe and means forconnecting said flexible conduit to the sewerage system.

6. A drain xture for refrigerators comprising an adjustable memberadapted to be adjustably mounted Within the wall of the refrigeratorunder the ice compartment and adapted to form a conduit for the Watermelting from the ice, a trap detachably carried by said member andadapted to be disposed under the drain of the ice box, a exible conduitleading from the outer end of said adjustable member and means forconnecting said conduit to the sewerage system.

MIGIEL J. ULINE.

